


the shrug is worth bonus points

by lucymonster



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, The Good Place (TV)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Crossover, Extra Treat, F/M, Force Dyad (Star Wars), Force Ghost Ben Solo, flippant discussions of morality and redemption
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:34:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22296409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucymonster/pseuds/lucymonster
Summary: ‘Redemptive self sacrifice?’ The woman frowns. ‘Nope, I’m still not seeing why they sent you to me. This is a common legal process with a lotta robust case law behind it. Sorry, but it’s cut and dried.’The afterlife is not what Ben expected.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 35
Kudos: 116
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 5





	the shrug is worth bonus points

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fleurlb](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fleurlb/gifts).



‘Redemptive self sacrifice?’ The woman frowns. ‘Nope, I’m still not seeing why they sent you to me. This is a common legal process with a lotta robust case law behind it. Sorry, but it’s cut and dried.’

It’s been a long time since Ben last meditated on death and the concept of oneness with the Force. He is, admittedly, a little rusty. But he can’t recall Luke or Snoke or anyone else ever mentioning that this was what he’d find on the other side. He doesn’t know who _they_ are, or what case law has to do with anything. He does know he feels better now than he did in his last memories of being alive. He’s on his feet, for one thing. His leg is a lot less broken.

The woman drums her fingers on the handle of her gavel. ‘I’m sure whoever you died for – is she pretty, by the way? I’m assuming it’s a girl. It’s usually a girl.’

After a moment’s awkward pause, Ben realises the question isn’t rhetorical. He keeps waiting for his injuries to come back and the world to start making sense again. ‘Uh … yeah. She’s pretty.’

‘That’s nice. Well, this pretty girl you died for, I’m sure she’s very grateful. But a single act of selflessness can’t tip the scales of a life misspent. The numbers don’t add up. With a score like–’ She glances at the file on her desk, and her eyes widen. ‘Wowza. How’d you rack up a sin count that high? You’re what, thirty?’ Another glance, another page. Another wide-eyed grimace. ‘Your own father, huh. Multiple planets. You sure have been busy down there.’

‘It’s been an intense few years,’ Ben admits.

‘I’ll say. With this many naughty points, you couldn’t move your score into the black by saving a hundred pretty girls. Maybe they sent you here because they want me to authorise a new level of hell for you. Some of these numbers are off the charts.’ The woman studies her file. ‘Unless … oh, hang on a second. That’s interesting.’

‘What’s interesting?’

‘This ledger is still updating.’ Ben leans over the desk to see what she’s frowning at, but can’t make sense of any of the numbers. ‘Plus three – making an old lady smile. Plus ten – paying respects to deceased elders. Some of this is from minutes ago. Oop – minus eight, snapping at a friend who’s only trying to help. Just now.’ The woman squints critically at Ben. ‘Quick question. How would you describe your connection to this girl of yours? Is she an idle puppy crush, or would say she’s more of the eternal love type? You know, other half. Soulmate. Dyad, ever heard the word dyad?’

‘Of course I have,’ says Ben, bristling at the words _puppy crush._ ‘I’m bound to her in the Force. Two souls that are–’

‘That are one, yeah, yeah, I know the drill.’ The woman snaps the folder closed and pushes it aside. ‘Well, this is all a bit premature. If the other half of your dyad is still down there racking up karma, then I can’t rule on your case yet. Her score would affect yours anyway, since it’s technically thanks to you she’s alive, but in a normal case the numbers wouldn’t make much difference. Add a dyad to the mix, though? Oh, this is going to be interesting. Court adjourned.’

‘Huh?’

‘Come back once your lady friend dies and you have a final number. Then I can decide whether the two of you go up or down, or whether I send you to the Medium Place to keep Mindy company.’

‘Who’s Mindy?’

‘You ask a lot of questions,’ says the woman peevishly. ‘Careful with that – irritating the judge could affect your score. I’m just saying. Now, shoo. I wasn’t supposed to be in session today, and you caught me halfway through an episode of NCIS.’

'But…' Ben falters. This really isn't how he thought the afterlife was going to go. 'I'm dead. What am I supposed to do?'

'Your continuum has ghosts, doesn't it? Go. Get haunting. Keep your pretty girl company. Say hi to Michael for me, if you see him.'

‘Who’s Michael?’

‘Go!’

Ben goes. He doesn’t really have a choice.

On the other side of the door she waves him through lie desert sands and the rusty spires of old moisture vaporators. Tatooine. For a moment his only thought is that the strange gavel woman is playing some kind of cosmic prank on him.

Then he sees Rey. Rey sees him. Her eyes fill with tears, and her face breaks into an aching smile, and Ben stops worrying about numbers and dyads and whatever the hell NCIS is. None of that matters.

He has a pretty girl to haunt.


End file.
